Young Summer
by Goth03
Summary: All she had wanted was a palace. OneShot. Please read and review, but no flames. Thanks.


**Title: Young Summer**

**Rating: K+**

**Description: All she had wanted was a palace. OneShot. Please read and review, but no flames. Thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Set in the twin's childhood. The story is split into two halves, early/later in the day.**_

**Young Summer**

_That afternoon…_

The high summer sun beat down on all beneath, with a burning heat and a scorching intensity. In amongst the tall scruffy grass, Sharpay Evans stood at the base of the big tree at the bottom of her family's garden; she studied the high branches with a distinct look of concentration etched upon her young face.

Ryan, her twin brother, noticed her as he entered the garden to explore the river near the hedge. Gripped with curiosity, he straightened his hat and decided that the exploring could wait. He walked over to see what she was doing, swinging his arms loosely as his feet battled through the wild grass.

"What are you looking at?" He asked, imitating his sister and looking upward, once he was standing next to her. He squinted up into the sunlight, as it leaked through the branches. Sharpay transferred her gaze onto her brother, her eyes big and full of dancing excitement.

"The top of the tree. I want to build a palace there!" She told him with a zealous tone. Ryan's gaze now levelled to meet hers, an amused smirk appearing on his lips.

"That's just stupid," he answered dismissively, "it would be impossible to build a palace up there." He folded his arms and continued to smile at her.

"Why? I want it." Sharpay said firmly. Ryan, unable to hold his amusement in any longer, laughed at her. Tears began to form in the corners of the blonde girl's eyes.

"It's not stupid!" She shouted at him before running away, the tears falling freely down her reddened cheeks as she fled. Ryan stared after her as his laughter died away. He felt a ripple of guilt shift through him as Sharpay ran into the house crying. All she had wanted was a palace.

***

_That evening…_

Although it was late, hurried commotion and grievous tones filled the Evans' household, perforating its usual serene silence.

"What was he thinking!" Cried Mrs Evans to her husband from down within the den. Mr Evans shook his head in shock as he placed the phone back down into its holder; his hands were shaking.

"What was he even doing up there in the first place?" He asked his wife, furious with disbelief. Their son, Ryan, lay between them on the couch. He was very still, and a small amount of red could be seen nestled within his golden blonde hair.

Sharpay, awoken by the voices of her parents below and the whine of an emergency vehicle outside, walked into the room as the paramedics arrived. She looked around at the chaos, not understanding at all what was happening before her.

"What's going on?" She asked as Ryan was lifted from the couch onto a stretcher and securely buckled onto it. He was pale and looked as if he was asleep; his head lolled limply as the medics lifted up the stretcher, and prepared to leave.

Her mother ran over to her and placed her arms around her firmly, drawing the girl into a tight embrace; one of the tightest that Sharpay could ever recall having.

"Ducky has had an accident." She told her daughter quietly, her voice shook as it spoke. Sharpay's eyes widened.

"What happened to him?" She whispered with shock. She stared after Ryan as he was carried out of the room and followed by her father. She craned her neck to get a better look at him.

"He fell from the very top of the tree at the bottom of the garden kitten!" Her mother said her voice breaking with emotion; she shuddered at the thought. Sharpay felt a chill run through her. Without another word, she broke away from her mother's arms, and turned on her tiny heels. She ran through the open back door into the vast garden, ignoring her mother's calls for her to return. The night cradled around her, and swallowed her as she ran blindly down over the grass to the big tree in the distance.

Finally, out of breath, she stood at the base of the towering oak, and hurriedly, she stole a glance upward. As she looked up into the branches of the tree, she could make out clearly a plank of wood there, perched precariously upon two very high up branches. Lowering her gaze, she saw that at the base of the tree prepared neatly, was a collection of tools, nails and more wood. A forlorn hat lay atop of the grass beside them.

All she had wanted was a palace.


End file.
